Jimmy Rollins' defense honored again

Shortstop becomes only the third player in club history to win at least four Gold Gloves while with the team.

October 31, 2012|By Mandy Housenick, Of The Morning Call

A ball is rolling hard toward the hole and seems destined to be a two-out RBI single to left field. You can hear the groans coming from the more than 40,000 fans at Citizens Bank Park.

Then Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins dives to his right and somehow snags the spinning grounder, pops up to hit feet and rifles a strike to Ryan Howard at first base in time for the out.

For many shortstops in baseball, that would be considered a tremendous play.

For Rollins, it's become the norm as he again magically turns the moans in the stands to roars and applause that lasts until he returns to the dugout.

It's plays like that, which occurred countless times in 2012 and throughout his 13-year big league career in Philadelphia, that made him the 2012 National League Gold Glove winner. He beat out Miami's Jose Reyes, Cincinnati's Zach Cozart and Washington's Ian Desmond. Winners were announced Tuesday night.

Backhanding ground balls now comes easily to Rollins, but he admitted Tuesday that was hardly the case just over a decade ago.

"Coming up [from the minors], backhanding balls was something done as an extreme measure because you couldn't get in front of it," he said. "[Teaching me to] come in and take one or two steps and making that throw, [Larry Bowa and John Vukovich] made it simple for me. It was the easier play and you're shaving a step or two from the runner. The concept didn't make sense, but as I started doing it and practicing it … it was actually a lot easier. I got a lot more behind the throw and I was a lot more accurate.

"Now it's something I take pride in."

Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz was also a finalist but did not win. Yadier Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals was named the Gold Glove catcher in the National League.

It's Rollins' fourth Gold Glove (2007-2009), making him one of three Phillies ever to win four or more while with the club (Mike Schmidt, 10; Garry Maddox, 8). Five other players have won multiple Gold Gloves while they played for the Phillies (Shane Victorino, 3; Scott Rolen, 3; Manny Trillo, 3; Larry Bowa, 2; Bob Boone, 2).

Rollins, who turns 34 in November, led all National League shortstops in fielding percentage (.978). He was third in the league in putouts (204), third in games (156) and fifth in assists (377). He made only 13 errors in 594 chances.

"Being consistent is something I've always put emphasis on and really something that was drilled into me by two people in particular: Larry Bowa and John Vukovich," Rollins said. "I've taken that approach every single day. Success, I guess is in the pudding."

Rollins' defense always has been appreciated by Phillies fans, but it took years for it to be recognized across baseball and in the national media.

Despite 2001 being his first full year in the majors, he didn't win his first Gold Glove until 2007, which happened to coincide with his best year offensively. He appeared in every game, scored 139 runs and became the first player in major league history to have 200 hits, 15 triples, 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases in the same season.

Over the previous 12 seasons, Rollins has played the most regular-season games at shortstop among all big-league players (1,761) and ranks first in club history, having played 1,774 games at shortstop (2000-2012).

Rollins reached another milestone this season when he doubled for this 2,000th career hit on Sept. 4 against the Reds.

Placido Polanco was the last Phillie to win a Gold Glove. A season ago, Polanco became the second player in baseball history to win a Gold Glove at two positions. He won the award as a third baseman last season after winning one at second base with the Tigers in 2007.

According to MLB.com, every manager and up to six coaches per staff vote for players nominated in their respective league. They cannot vote for players from their teams.